who was edward g. miner?

Edward Griffith Miner was born 19 December 1863 in Waverly, Illinois. Though
his father was a graduate of the Jefferson Medical College (1861), Miner's
own education consisted of "a common school and high school education, such
as was furnished in those days...supplemented by the books in my father's
and grandfather's libraries." In July 1883 he left Illinois for Rochester,
where he became secretary to the cousin who founded the company which Miner
would be associated for 48 years. Assuming increasing responsibility, Miner
gradually transformed Pfaudler Company into an international operation and
the world's largest manufacturer of glass-lined steel containers.

Edward Miner was a trustee of the University of Rochester for more than
40 years, and a chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1938 to 1945. During
this period he was also deeply involved in the University Library. He donated
many volumes to its collections, but more importantly, was instrumental in
the acquisition of several monographic and manuscript collections on the antiquarian
market.

His bibliographic interests were extended to the library of the School of
Medicine and Dentistry when the medical school opened in 1925. Miner was befriended
by the young chairman of the Department of Anatomy, George Washington Corner
(1889-1981). As an historian and chairman of the Library Committee, Corner
was anxious to solicit community support for the development of a medical-historical
collection, and indeed is largely responsible for initiating the rare book
collection the Library has today. In April 1927, through Corner's encouragement,
Miner presented the Medical Library 41 titles on yellow fever - the first
of many donations which he would make to the collection until his death in
1955. In recognition of his services to the University of Rochester and its
libraries, the Medical Library was named in honor of Edward G Miner in December,
1952.

Birthday Surprise -- Edward G. Miner, right,
received a surprise yesterday on his 89th birthday when he was told the
University of Rochester's library of School of Medicine and Dentistry
will bear his name. The veteran UR trustee receives temporary plaque from
Raymond N. Ball, chairman of trustees, and Dr. George H. Whipple, middle,
school dean.

(Note: Caption and photo are as they originally
appeared in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, December
20, 1952.)